Nearly four years after the launch of the original PlayStation 5, Sony is about to release its latest gaming console with the same type of Pro refresh first seen with the PlayStation 4 Pro. Sony has permitted Wccftech early access to the console to explore and dig deep into its features, but those will come later. For now, unboxing and general discussion of the console outside commenting on the console in action are all permitted before launch.
Inside the box are no surprises for those who have purchased and played with the original iteration of the PlayStation 5 or even the updated PlayStation 5 Slim refresh. Sony has provided the essentials for play: DualSense controller, USB Type-C to Type-C charging cable, HDMI, AC adapter, and two small plastic stands for using the console horizontally. Fans will be pleased to know that the AC adapter remains the same as the original PlayStation 5, so there’s no need to rewire the home theater system to account for a larger power cable, as was the case with the PlayStation 4 Pro.
This time, Sony’s version of a console stand is a bit of an anomaly with the PlayStation 5 Pro. For a console that boasts improved stability for gaming, the console itself is far less stable. Apply any amount of pressure to either side of the console, and it rocks to either side. I suspect laying the console flat was intended to be more with the optional disc drive attached as the console only makes contact with the surface it’s on at three points: the two plastic stands and the back left corner adjacent to the AC port. I don’t yet have the disc drive attachment in the office, so I can’t speak confidently about the stability of the assembled product. Sony did include a vertical stand along with the console for review purposes, which was easy to install and kept the console from toppling over, but I did have to remove it when taking the console with me for a three-day business training seminar (not even job training is going to keep me from doing my daily challenges in Black Ops 6).
The PlayStation 5 Pro also includes the requisite safety and quick start guides to get players up and running in as few steps as possible. Expect no major differences with the quick start guide beyond the literature that was included with the base PlayStation 5, only updated for the different accessories in the box and the optional disc drive. The safety guide, however, does include the system specs for the PlayStation 5 Pro, including all but the base clock speed and memory timings. Interestingly, the Main Processor has been confirmed to hit the 16.7 TFLOPS mentioned in earlier discussions on the console’s final specs. The inclusion of 2GB of slower DDR5 RAM is also included in the safety guide.
While the form factor between the PlayStation 5 Slim and PlayStation 5 Pro are largely similar, due to the inclusion of the black venting lanes on the Pro model, replacement faceplates from the Slim model sadly will not fit both portions of the console exterior. The large lower plate does fit in place, but it’s the placement of the mounting clips on the top cover that have been readjusted and prevent the upper cover from fitting into position. From a design standpoint, it makes sense that the bottom plates are identical, especially as the existing disc drive attachment from the PlayStation 5 Slim can fit onto the PlayStation 5 Pro as a literal plug-and-play accessory.
That being said, the detachable faceplates are much easier to remove, given the different mounting teeth used this time on the PlayStation 5 Pro. I was able to remove the outer panel with far less force needed to pry off the faceplate from the base PlayStation 5 Pro and gain access to the empty M.2 slot to upgrade the total system memory from 2TB of standard console storage and double it with an additional 2TB with the Kingston FURY Renegade I carried over from the old console.
The PlayStation 5 Pro launch is imminent with players finally able to get their hands on Sony’s next generation console refresh later this week. In the meantime, check out some of the other coverage that Wccftech’s Gaming team has put together ahead of the PlayStation 5 Pro’s global launch on November 7th.
[Editor’s Note: Sony provided Wccftech with a PlayStation 5 Pro review unit for editorial purposes.]
